Comments

Damn, forgot my main point of all…Great teams find ways to win when they aren’t supposed to. The Wings aren’t a great (or even good) team, but there’s something to be said about grinding a game and getting at least a point when the eye-test says they should have lost easily.

Thanks for the fresh air Peiz, its badly need around here. The sour grapes are really starting to stink the place up.

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 12:16 PM ET

Try to see the positives. It makes being a fan much, much more fun.

Posted by bezukov from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 01:13 PM ET

This is why I feel the need to comment these days. People seem like being a fan is a chore and awful. I am fully on the stress train every night but just bitching about how bad the team is has to be awfully depressing. I’m sure I’m wrong and all of you are having fun but it sure doesn’t sound like it.

I love the conversations of who’s doing well or who isn’t, that’s fun. The constant berating of the franchise is just getting old. As is the “I’d rather miss the playoffs than get killed by the Hawks attitude” that is more prevalent than I thought.

no, the mindset is that this is exactly the bed Holland made for them, and now we all have to lie in it - while he has done nothing to improve the team since Bowman left.

realism gets called complaining or pessimism when the reality is bad.

The reality is bad, I agree with you. But when something good happens all anyone says is “oh, finally” rather than “hey, that was a good play” we just expect that we suck at this point. That’s the mindset that’s frustrating.

no you didn’t. you said they held their own - which they didn’t. they stole a point based on two things - luck, and SJ blowing a couple golden opportunities that were a consequence of the Wings on the ice not paying attention and being way out of position.

and you said in a 7 game series they might get better. which is true. pretty much any statement with “might” in it is true in sports, that doesn’t make it a positive.

As is the “I’d rather miss the playoffs than get killed by the Hawks attitude” that is more prevalent than I thought.

peiz, nobody said that. the point isn’t to miss the playoffs. the point is to do things that make the team better in the long run - which might make them worse now, and might make them miss the playoffs.

we want the team to make the playoffs. but we want the team to get better more than we want them to make the playoffs, just for the sake of making the playoffs.

and you said in a 7 game series they might get better. which is true. pretty much any statement with “might” in it is true in sports, that doesn’t make it a positive.

Neither does getting two picks higher in the draft. If we make the playoffs as an 8 seed we’re a 14 seed. If we miss there’s an extremely low chance that that pick goes any lower than an 11 or 12. In my mind, that’s not enough of a chance to warrant breaking the streak, seeing what this team can do in the playoffs, and giving these young guys (our real immediate future like it or not) playoff experience. That’s how this team gets better by making the playoffs rather than going home.

We need our fuchin’ goaltender to steal a couple. Tonite would be a good start.
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 04/12/13 at 01:30 PM ET

Fine man, have it your way. You’ve sucked all the fun out of it and tired me out.

Let’s get out the candles and black robes because the Wings suck and they should be taken behind the woodshed and shot after Ken Holland is ritually sodomized.

Happy? I know I feel better.

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 12:35 PM ET

peiz, you still don’t understand the “miss the playoffs thing.” again, it’s not missing the playoffs we want. it’s getting better we wanted, or opening the door to get better in the future - which would have meant shedding dead weight at the deadline which didn’t happen. it’s not about missing the playoffs to move higher in the draft. it was about getting something for players that should be here next year, like Filpulla and White - instead of losing them for nothing.

we want the team to make the playoffs. but we want the team to get better more than we want them to make the playoffs, just for the sake of making the playoffs.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/12/13 at 01:24 PM ET

I disagree. Sure I want the team to get better and they will. I fail to see how missing the playoffs makes us a better team next season. The draft lottery?

While the top pick can now go to any of the 14 non-playoff clubs, or the team owning the rights to the first pick of a non-playoff club, the odds of winning the lottery are unchanged from previous years.

I sure as hell want the team to make the playoffs, just for the sake of making the playoffs.

Ian White, the healthy scratch, and the forward that has an expiring contract and will demand $4+ mil next year are the trades that were going to turn this franchise around? Sorry, not going to buy it. We aren’t get the Conacher-type young guys for those players.

I understand your stance, I just don’t agree. I’d rather see Gus, Joakim, Emmerton get some playoff experience since those are players that will be playing a big role soon. If they get smacked? Well, then they learn how that felt and how to be better prepared next time when the lot of us feel they have a chance.

Kate, you and I are thinking alike. But that means we don’t care about the future of this team.

I sure as hell want the team to make the playoffs, just for the sake of making the playoffs.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 04/12/13 at 01:40 PM ET

Thank you Kate!

LGRW!

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 12:54 PM ET

I’d rather see Gus, Joakim, Emmerton get some playoff experience since those are players that will be playing a big role soon. If they get smacked? Well, then they learn how that felt and how to be better prepared next time when the lot of us feel they have a chance.

That is how to prepare for the future. There are a few players that should have been playing a bigger role for the last two seasons. KH had holes to fill and we have the young-uns that were better choices than the Sammy’s of the league.

I find it hard to believe that the Organ-i-zation did not have any clue regarding TPH’s retirement, or, the loss of Happy or Homer.

I fail to see how missing the playoffs makes us a better team next season. The draft lottery?

Kate, missing the playoffs isn’t the point, isn’t the event that we’re saying will make the team better.

the point is that there were moves that could have been made at the deadline that could make the team better LONG TERM but might have caused them to miss the playoffs. if they could have made those moves AND make the playoffs - that would have been ideal. second best is to make those moves and not make the playoffs. and IMO, the worst case scenario is to NOT make those moves and make the playoffs (because their chances are slim and none this year, so making the playoffs is really meaningless when we all know the only real standard around here is Cup or bust)

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 01:02 PM ET

I sure as hell want the team to make the playoffs, just for the sake of making the playoffs.
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 04/12/13 at 01:40 PM ET

I respectfully disagree. This team needs talent all over the ice, except in net. Our beloved braintrust may not be the best at building a team through trades or FA in the Cap era, but by Dog, they still know how to evaluate talent. I know teams like NYI, FLA, EDM etc have perpetually sucked for years and have nothing to show for it by way of the draft, but those teams obviously evaluate talent about as effectively as N Korea makes threats. The Braintrust has done a remarkable job pickin out grains of gold from an entire beach of sand. Imagine what they could do if they had pick of the litter.

I respectfully disagree. This team needs talent all over the ice, except in net. Our beloved braintrust may not be the best at building a team through trades or FA in the Cap era, but by Dog, they still know how to evaluate talent. I know teams like NYI, FLA, EDM etc have perpetually sucked for years and have nothing to show for it by way of the draft, but those teams obviously evaluate talent about as effectively as N Korea makes threats. The Braintrust has done a remarkable job pickin out grains of gold from an entire beach of sand. Imagine what they could do if they had pick of the litter.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 04/12/13 at 02:07 PM ET

I see this argument but at the same time wouldn’t that argue that we don’t need better picks? If we’re so good at picking up those diamonds in the rough let’s just do that. Not saying that logic is right, kinda playing devil’s advocate there.

And Paul, hope we’re good, we’re both just big fans of this team and it clearly affects our moods when they don’t do well. It’s gotten so bad that they got us fighting among ourselves!

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 01:19 PM ET

I’d rather see Gus, Joakim, Emmerton get some playoff experience since those are players that will be playing a big role soon. If they get smacked? Well, then they learn how that felt and how to be better prepared next time when the lot of us feel they have a chance.
Kate, you and I are thinking alike. But that means we don’t care about the future of this team.
Posted by peiz11 from Minneapolis on 04/12/13 at 01:44 PM ET

Emmerton + Big role in the future= Me throwing up

Posted by
Vladimir16
from Grand River Valley on 04/12/13 at 01:24 PM ET

I don’t know Vlad, at least Emmerton seems to be able to win a faceoff.

these guys are young. the ones that look great now might tank, the ones that look bad now might shine…it’s all a crap shoot.

I see flashes of Kris Draper in Emmerton. Not saying he’s top six material, but he’s gonna be a great grinder.

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 01:47 PM ET

I’m one of the people who said “it” - that if Chicago were to be the Wings first round playoff opponent, I’d rather see the Wings not make the playoffs at all. Normally I’d say: Hell yes! Make the playoffs and continue the streak! But not this time. (Not unless a miracle happens and god returns full of health, piss and vinegar.)

Don’t any of you ever doubt my love for the Red Wings, but if they beat Chicago in a seven game series this year I would eat my Holmstrom jersey.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from the State where Tigers roam in the Spring on 04/12/13 at 01:50 PM ET

I see flashes of Kris Draper in Emmerton. Not saying he’s top six material, but he’s gonna be a great grinder.

Posted by bezukov from the kids are alright. on 04/12/13 at 02:47 PM ET

Totally agree with you in Emmerton. I think he’s played great and has been a pleasant surprise this season.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from the State where Tigers roam in the Spring on 04/12/13 at 01:51 PM ET

I see this argument but at the same time wouldn’t that argue that we don’t need better picks? If we’re so good at picking up those diamonds in the rough let’s just do that. Not saying that logic is right, kinda playing devil’s advocate there.
And Paul, hope we’re good, we’re both just big fans of this team and it clearly affects our moods when they don’t do well. It’s gotten so bad that they got us fighting among ourselves!
Posted by peiz11 from Minneapolis on 04/12/13 at 02:11 PM ET

My point was they have done an admirable job with what they have to work with. I love Helm. I have a 43 jersey. Helm will not score 40-50 goals in a season. Abby is a good character guy. But he’s 3rd line material at best, but more likely he belongs on a 4th line. He certainly doesn’t belong on 13’s wing. Smith looks like he will make a nice 2nd or 3rd pair D-man someday. Top line forwards and top pair D-men rarely fall beyond the top 10-12 of the first round anymore.

The braintrust identifies the best available players, but “best available” doesn’t mean much when you’re drafting 20th-30th in every round. Once upon a time, the Wings and Hakan Andersson had Eastern Europe to themselves. Now, not so much. The rest of the league now scouts the entire globe, just like the Wings have for decades. Thus, no more Pavels, Zs, Niks, Sergeis or Vladys getting picked 400th overall in the 80th round of the draft.

I know the All Star game can be a bit of a joke, but generally, the most talented players in the league are on the All Star teams. (There are always unwarranted picks and omissions, of course). Now go to the Wikipedia pages for drafts in the last 11 years, start with 2002. They highlight the picks that eventually play in the All Star game. Some years are deeper than others. In 2003, The Wings could have drafted Corey Perry if they hadn’t traded their pick to the Kings. Rare is the all star that was drafted beyond the 12th pick. Over the last 11 years, only the 2003 and 2005 drafts have yielded multiple all stars from the second round and later. Of the other 9 years, only 2 all stars total were drafted in round 2 or later.

to add to what CaptainDennis posted, I’d say in the cap league, and changes in how RFAs are handled, draft picks are more valuable these days than ever before. it is clearly much more difficult to obtain players via trade or straight-up FA purchases than it was for the first 15 years of the Wings’ playoff streak.

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